The condition of rotating machinery is often determined using visual inspection techniques performed by experienced operators. Failure modes such as cracking, leaking, corrosion, etc. can often be detected by visual inspection before failure is likely. The use of such manual condition monitoring allows maintenance to be scheduled, or other actions to be taken, to avoid the consequences of failure before the failure occurs. Intervention in the early stages of deterioration is usually much more cost effective than undertaking repairs subsequent to failure.
One downside to manual monitoring is that typically it is only performed periodically. Thus, if an adverse condition arises between inspections, machinery failure can occur. It would be desirable to automate the condition monitoring process to provide a simple and easy-to-use system that provides constant monitoring of one or more machinery conditions. Such a system has the potential to enhance operation, reduce downtime and increase energy efficiency.